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UNITED STATES – A prolonged and dangerous heatwave is gripping the central and eastern parts of the country ahead of the July Fourth holiday, with the National Weather Service warning of extreme, record-challenging temperatures and oppressive humidity. Under a persistent heat dome, heat index values between 100°F and 115°F are forecast across the Midwest, Ohio Valley and East Coast through at least Saturday, prompting widespread advisories for “Major to Extreme HeatRisk.” Forecasters say numerous daily, monthly and potentially all-time temperature records are likely to be challenged or broken as the hot, stagnant air mass lingers over heavily populated regions and disrupts outdoor plans for millions of Americans. NEW YORK – The heatwave is hitting the Northeast particularly hard, with temperatures in New York City’s Central Park reaching 100°F on the afternoon of July 2, the first triple-digit reading there since July 2012. Local officials, including Mayor Zohran Mamdani, urged residents to take immediate precautions, drink more water than usual and check on vulnerable neighbors, while the city opened cooling centers and deployed emergency resources. The National Weather Service warned that dangerous heat and humidity will persist, with heat index values possibly reaching 115°F, and cautioned that severe thunderstorms could bring damaging winds, heavy rainfall and localized flash flooding. Public health officials noted that extreme heat is the leading cause of weather-related deaths in the United States and stressed that the combination of very hot days and warm nights significantly raises the risk of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

By Lauren Mitchell | JQJO News